ALL NOVEL Chapter 7
“Is this, is this a lie?”
The Dark Figure spoke with a pallid complexion.
“No, why would I lie?”
“U-uh…”
Clack—
Clack, clack, clack—
The Dark Figure shook the door while making strange sounds.
Eventually, perhaps having lost his mental composure, he began banging on the iron door.
He’s gonna break a bone like that.
“AAAAAAAH!”
He finally shrieked and wailed.
– Is it really not opening?
– No way, right?
– Is it for real…?
As I watched, the viewers—who had previously told me not to act—started to genuinely wonder if this was real since even the Dark Figure was behaving like that.
Unfortunately, I’ve never acted a day in my life.
“Well, this is only natural.”
Even if a [Ghost] has grown stronger after consuming [Ghost Stories], in the end, it’s still a [Ghost].
Its essence never changes.
“Things like the grudge that constitute the essence of a [Ghost] often remain at the location.”
This is what they commonly refer to as a lingering spirit.
Entities that commonly exist in the form of a [Ghost Story] tied to bodies of water, hospitals, or schools.
“As such, it’s actually quite simple to avoid a [Ghost] without having to exterminate it.”
If you get outside the area, a lingering [Ghost] cannot chase after you.
– Then why is that locked?
– Right, there’s no way to escape like that.
“I told you, it swallowed a [Ghost Story].”
Having gained strength, it can now do much more.
For instance, it could seal exits to prevent escaping humans?
“AAAAAH!”
As I shifted my gaze due to the scream, the Dark Figure was now sprawled on the floor, groaning.
It seemed the door wouldn’t open, so he tried to climb over the fence…
“If the [Ghost] isn’t stupid, it would have taken precautions above too.”
Fixing the door like that is essentially a form of poltergeist activity.
It’s a kind of telekinesis.
If it can keep the door firmly shut even when someone crashes into it, then pushing a person just a little while on the fence should be easy.
I didn’t say I was trapped for nothing.
“Still, at this level, it should start appearing soon.”
– Is a real [Ghost] coming out?!
– But how do we know that?
– We haven’t found it until now.
“The reason for coming through the door was partly for verification, but it’s the most certain method.”
[Ghosts] are a collective of grudges and curses, as well as manifestations of impulsive thoughts.
I want to kill someone.
I want revenge.
These impulsive emotions are mixed with regret, resentment, and curses.
While fearful and wandering within its sphere of influence is pleasurable to the [Ghost], it doesn’t mean they’ll let their prey escape.
“Typically, [Ghosts] often jump out overtly, so that’s rare. But even for a [Ghost] hiding like this, a little provocation can make it jump out quickly.”
Usually, it’s common to use stories about [Ghosts] as stimulus…
I continued to watch the Dark Figure attempting to escape.
“That much should be enough stimulation.”
Right now, this is the most effective method for someone who knows nothing about [Ghosts].
Flame~
“Oh? Is it finally showing up?”
“AAAH! FIRE!”
Flames erupted and blossomed near the school gate.
The Dark Figure, rushing toward the gate, fell back in shock.
”Do [Ghosts] have the ability to kindle fire too, along with burning corpses?”
I’ve heard of abnormalities like [Spirit] or [Will-o’-the-wisp], but that fire doesn’t seem like an [Abnormality].
“That guy, follow me.”
“Yes.”
I entrusted the retrieval of the Dark Figure to the entity beside me and began running.
There was no need to think about a destination.
The flames spreading from the school gate were paving the path around me.
As if luring us this way.
Flame, flame—
The abandoned school was engulfed in flames.
“Looks like it won’t burn.”
Even engulfed in flames, it doesn’t catch fire.
It’s contradictory, but that’s how the scene looks.
– The building seems to have become a bit cleaner now?
What the chat said is true.
This building had a visual that anyone would recognize as an abandoned school.
Dilapidated exterior and broken windows.
The ominous look of a place that hadn’t been maintained for an extended time was right there.
But the reflection of the school in the flames looked different.
Clean exterior walls.
Shining windows.
Even the window frames and doors had gotten rid of rust and looked pristine.
“It looks exactly like a normal school.”
Yet amidst all this, there’s one space that feels out of place.
“Except for that one.”
On the third floor, where classrooms might be located.
In contrast to the neat exterior surrounding it, only that space was leaking black soot and black smoke.
– Huh? I think I know that school…
– ???
– A source appears. Ta-da.
“You know this school?”
– Um, it looks like my middle school…
Someone appearing with knowledge about [Ghosts].
*
At first, even they didn’t realize.
Schools usually have similar structures, and given that it as an abandoned school, its condition must have felt even more different.
Then the scene of that school consumed by flames appeared on broadcast, and they realized upon seeing the only spot leaking black smoke.
– When I was in the first year, there was a well-known victim at that school…
There was a senior who was subjected to severe bullying, involving not just simple assault but also excessive extortion and abuse, even openly facing sexual harassment, despite being a male.
Just seeing him would induce a frown, and someone surely would have reported it, but since the perpetrator was the child of a police high official, investigations never happened, and the bullying only worsened.
– But one day, that senior didn’t come to school.
Because of that, the students who were the perpetrators were all furious, and the atmosphere of the school became tense…
– They said the senior showed up during lunchtime.
And on that day, during the fifth class.
A fire broke out in the classroom where that victim and the perpetrators were.
– Later, I heard that as soon as class started, the senior locked the back door with a padlock he brought and then locked the front door, pouring oil from a bottle on himself.
In the note he left, he said he would die, but it felt unfair to die alone, so he wanted to take the perpetrators with him, including the teachers and students who were bystanders.
– I heard he thought that dying in a fire was the most painful way and hoped that his classmates would die just as painfully…
He even intended to hug the perpetrator while on fire, just in case that perpetrator might survive, and burn together to death.
The two bodies found at the scene were discovered entwined together in a melted state, as if they had become one.
– Such an incident happened?
– Crazy…
– No news or articles about it?
It was indeed strange that such a significant incident didn’t gain more fame.
– Initially, there was a lot of media coverage, but at some point, all the journalists disappeared, and there wasn’t a single mention in the news afterward.
Additionally, just a few days later, they announced the school would be closed and transferred all the students, and when they visited later, the school building had disappeared.
– If the building disappeared, what’s that?
– What do you mean, it’s a fabrication.
– It’s real…
I thought while watching the rising chat.
It’s the Alliance.
Such an organization capable of burying an incident of this size is one of the very few groups that handle [Abnormalities] in the underworld.
Among them, the only group that obsessively shuts down information about [Abnormalities] is the Alliance.
“The reason they suppressed news and articles is likely to prevent the revival of spreading [Ghost Stories].”
Unlike [Ghosts], which can be hunted, [Ghost Stories] do not vanish.
“But you’re telling me the school building disappeared?”
– Yeah, completely. Honestly, I still have my doubts. The building that vanished just popped up out of thin air. Since my brother keeps saying it’s a [Ghost], I can’t help but be skeptical.
A missing building and [Ghosts] that weren’t exterminated, even when the Alliance stepped in.
No, no matter how the Alliance struggles to deal with modern [Abnormalities], they surely wouldn’t be unable to capture just a mere [Ghost]?
Especially one that is just newly born?
“Could it be…”
I quickly halted my steps.
The destination guided by the flames.
Even though everything around was engulfed in flames, in contrast, it stood there unharmed, exuding blackened marks and ominous smoke.
Classroom 3-2.
The sign above the classroom, dust-free, seemed to indicate this place as the origin.
The darkened door, emitting a burnt smell, greeted us at the end of the fiery path.
*
[Ghosts] are weak.
Even born from potent grudges and curses.
Despite holding a source stronger than any [Abnormality], they must remain weak as their existence.
Just one person.
As a [Ghost] with merely one thought, they are ultimately a downgraded version of the [Abnormalities], which consist of thousands, millions, or billions of thoughts.
And such a [Ghost] can finally gain the power to be called an [Abnormality] only after swallowing [Ghost Stories].
Then.
“Could you tell me roughly when that incident occurred? Whether there were [Ghost Stories] associated with that school.”
– It happened eight years ago. As for the [Ghost Stories]… I don’t remember well since it was when I was a freshman, but there was a trend where kids talked about the seven great ghost stories of the school.”
If a [Ghost] has been moving independently for such a long time, consuming numerous [Ghost Stories], what level could it possibly reach?
“Those crazy minions of the Alliance have caused yet another mess?”
For reference, in Korea, [Ghosts] are also referred to as gods (神).